Meter connection



March 29, 1932. G. w. MCKEE METER CONNECTION Filed July 5, 1928 PatentedMar. 29, 1932 I I y y UNITEDy STATES PATENT OFFICE cnam w. arcxna, oraooxroan, ILLINOIS METER CONNECTION Application tiled July 5, 1928.Serial No. 290,376.

The present invention relates to devices for shown in section forpurposes of illustration. use .in connecting meters to. gas supply andFig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line service lpes. 2-2 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the Theo )ects' of the invention areto provide: end of the bar that is associated with the an improved meterconnecting device of the rota-table sleeve. Fig. 4 is a section taken on55 type wherein a rigid or non-a justable crossthe line 4 4 of Fig. l.Fig. 5 is a detail secbar is utilized to support coupling-nipples fortional view, showing another form of the inlthe inlet and outlet tubesof the meter; an vention. improved device of this type, in which the Theinvention is exem liiied with av gas bar and the coupling nipples can beassembled meter A which may be o any suitable conoo 'and shipped in unitform to the user; an imstruction and is provided at the sides thereofproved meter connectin device lin which with vertical inlet and outlettubes a, and a. one of the coupling nipp es is connected to a The latterare formed integrally with the cashorizontally rotatable member orsleeve in ing of the meter and are provided at their up one end of thebar, so that the fitter in installper ends with external screw-threadsa2 for ou ing the device can adjust the one nipple relaconnection tocoupling-nipples. The extreme tively to the other in order to effect teproper upper ends of the tubes are usuall formed registration of thetwo nipples .with respect with ground seats in order to make uid tightto the inlet and outlet tubes on the meter, Connection with th'ecoupling-nipples. without screwing or unscrewing the nipples; Theimproved connecting device (Figs. 1, 70 an improved meter connectingdevice ofthe 2, 3 and 4) which forms the subject matter rigid bar type,which contemplates adjust- Qf the PIGSeIlt IIVGIIOII COIIlpI'iSGS a,rigid ment of the coupling nipples into accurate cross bar Bwhich ispreferably formed of a registry with the meter-tubes, and at, the Samecasting and embodies longitudinal ribs b at g5 time permits of the useof straight coupling the central portion thereof. A head b is 75nipples, which are less expensive and @an be formed integrally with oneend of the bar and produced with greater precision than bent has avsOCket b2 therein. A supply pipe b 0r Oset nipples, and can be reamedto form for delivering gas to the meter A is threaded smooth pasagewaysfor the gas; a connecting into the outer end of the socket b2. Astraight 3o device which is constructed to prevent theft Vertice-uyextending eeupling'nipple C he! en of gas by a cross-port drilledlongitudinally its upper end. threaded into the bottom of the throughthe bar; and a meter Connection socket b2 and1sadaptedtoconductgasfromthe which may be used with gas pipes of differentSupply plpe 6 3 to the inlet tubea of the meter. diameters by thesubstitution of the rotatable A coupling-ring c engages a flange c onthe sleeve in the bar. Other objects of the inven- 10Wel end 0f thenippleC and is internally tion and the various advantages andcharthreaded to engage the screw thread a2 on the acteristics of thepresent construction will be tube a S0 aS to Connect the nipple in placeand apparent from a consideration of the followform a gas-tightconnection. ing detailed description, The end of the .bar B that isopposite to the :c The invention consists in the several novel SOCket b21S provlded with a tubular portion oc features which are hereinafter setforth and 57- The latter has formed therein and exare more particularlydefined by claims at the tendllg therethrough a Cylindrical openingconclusion hereof, b* the axis of which is vertical and extends In thedrawing which accompanies and in parallel relation with the couplingnipple 45 forms aparte of this specification 0r disclo- C. Averticallyextending sleeve D has a cyl- 05 sure and in which likenumerals of reference indrical peripheral portion d which fits anddenote corresponding parts throughout*J the 1s rotatable in the openingb. This sleeve has Several views: Fig. 1 1s a, front elevational theupper end thereof threaded internally so view of a meter connectingdevice embodythat it may be connected to a service or de'- 50 ing oneform of the invention, parts being livery pipe E which delivers gas fromthe 10C meter to the various points of consumption. The sleeve D is heldin the tubular portion b" ofthe bar by a stud d which is fixedly D sothe sleeve may be turned by a wrench either to connect it to the` pipe Eor to rotate it in the bar. To assist the stud d in retaining thesleevey D against axial displacement in the openin b* a lock-nut d isthreaded to the upper en of the sleeve. This nut, when tightened,engages the ,top face of the tubular portion 67 and clamps the sleeveagainst rotation relatively to the bar. A straight vertically extendincoupling-nipple or stud F,

for connecting t e meter-tube a to the sleeve D, has its upper endprovided withan external screw-thread f to engage a correspondininternal screw thread in the lower end o the sleeve. An internallyscrew-threaded coupling ring f2 engages a flange f on the lower end ofthe nipple F, and is adapted for connection to the thread a2 on the tubea to secure said tube and nipple together and form a tight connectiontherebetween.

In practice, it is necessary to rovide for variation in the spacingbetween t e coupling nipples because the inlet and outlet tubes ofdifferent meters are spaced various distances apart and it is necessaryto apply or connect the nipples, without straining the tubes, as wellunderstood in the art. For this purpose, the upper end of the nipple Fis screw-threaded in a hole which is ecv centrically disposed in, andwith respect to, the axis of the sleeve D, so that rotation-of thesleeve in the bar B will move the nipple F bodily and horizontally to orfrom the nipple C at the opposite end of the cross bar. By connectingthe upper end of the nipple F eccentrically to the sleeve the desiredspacing of the coupling rings c and f2 may be effected by the use of astraight nipple.

In practice, the various arts of the device includ-ing the bar B, s eeveD, nipples C and F, coupling rings c and f2 and nut d5 are assembled atthe factory and shipped to the users in unit form. In installing thedevice, the head b is first screwed ontol the/ supply pipe b".V Thesleeve D in then rotated by a wrench applied to its polygonal flange orshoulder da to screw it onto the service or delivery pipe E. Thereafterthe sleeve D and nipple F are rotated together until the spacing betweenthe nip les C and F will accurately correspond to t e spacing betweenthe meter-tubes a and a. When this has been done, it is only necessaryto connect the rings c and f2 to the tubes.

In Fig. 5, a second formof the invention is shown. In this form theoutlet nipple F has its upper end concentricall connected to the lowerend of the sleeve, an its lower portion bent or offset relatively to theupper ortion, so that by rotation of the sleeve, the ower end of thenipple may be adjusted to and from the straight inlet nipple.

The invention exemplifies a meter connecting device which comprises arigid bar and a sleeve which is rotatably mounted in the bar and isadapted to be connected at its upper and lower ends to the service pipeand nipple respectively, so thatl by rotatlon of the sleeve, the desiredspacing between the nipples may be varied according to the meter towhich the connection is to be attached. The invention also exemplifies ameter-connection of the rigid-bar type in which straight kcouplingnipples may be used. The invention also exemplifes a connecting devicewhich can be a vantageously ship d to the user with the bar, sleeve, andnipp es in connected relation, and in which it is'not necessary for theuser to disturb the screw-threaded connections of the nipples inadjusting the nipples to different spacings. In addition the inventionexem lifies a meter connecting device which can produced at a low cost,and can beconnected to the pipes without union couplings. f

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to tlfie details setforth, since these may be modified within the scope of-the appendedclaims', without departlng from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A meter connecting device of the character described, comprising arigid bar adapted to Iextend horizontally and having means at one endthereof for association with a gas pipe'l and a coupling nipple and anintegral substantially vertical bearing at its other end, a sleevefitted and confined in the bearing to rotate on a fixed substantiallyvertical axis provided at its upper end with a screw thread for directconnection to a second gas pipe and a longitudinally extending openingin` its lower end, a coupling nipple connected to the lower end of thesleeve and in comniunication with the aforesaid opening, and

Ifmeans for holding the sleeve against axial movement in the bearing.

2. A meter connecting device of the character` described, comprising arigid one-piece bar adapted to extend horizontally and having means atone end thereof for connection to a gas pipe and a coupling nipple andan Luanco ond gas pipe and an openin in its lower end, a cou ling nippleexten -ing upwardly into the a oresaid' opening in the lower end of thesleeve and'connected to said sleeve by a screw thread connection, andmeans for holding the sleeve against axial movement in the bearing.

3. In a meter connecting device, the combination of a rigid bar providedat one end thereof with means` for connection to a pipe, acoupling-nipple connected ,tothe means and adaptedv to communicate withthe pipe through said means, a sleeve having a truly` cylindricalperiphery extending transversely through and mounted rotatably in theother end of said bar, said sleeve embodying at one of its ends ascrew-thread for connection to a second (pipe and being adapted to beconnected to sai second pipe by rotation relativel thereto, and acoupling-nipple connecte to the other end of said sleeve.

4. In a meter connecting device, the combination of a rigid one-piecebar provided at one end thereof with means for connection to a pipe, acoupling-nipple attached to the means and adapted to communicate withthe pipe through sai-d means, a sleeve extending transversely throu hand mounted rotatably in the other end o said bar and provided at one ofits ends'with means for direct connection to a second ipe, acoupling-member connected to the ot er end of said sleeve, and meansformed separately from the bar for holding the sleeve against axialdisplacement relatively to said bar.

5. In a meter connecting device, the combination of a rigid bar providedat one end thereof with means for connection to a pipe, acoupling-nipple attached to the means and adapted to communicate withthe pipe through said means, a sleeve extending transversely through andmounted rotatably in the other end of said bar and provided at one ofits ends with means for connection to a second pipe, a coupling-memberconnected to the other end of the sleeve, said sleeve having an annulargroove in the outer peripher thereof, and a stud carried by the saidother end of the bar and projecting into the groove to hold the sleeveagainst axial dis placement relatively to the har.

6. In a meter connecting device, the combination of a rigid bar providedat one end with means for connection to a pipe, a coupling-nippleattached to the means and adapted to communicate with the pipe throughsaid means, a sleeve extending transversely through and mountedrotatably in the other end of said bar and provided at one of its endswith means for connection to a second pipe, said sleeve having aneccentrically disposed screw-threaded opening in its other end, and asubstantially straight couplingnipple extending into vand connected tosaid screw-threaded opening.

screw-threaded to the head and in communication with the pipe throughsaid head, .a

transversely extending tubular portion formed integrally with the otherend of the bar, a sleeve extending through and mounted rotatably in thetubular portion, said sleeve embodying at one of its ends a screw-threadfor direct connection to a pipe and being adapted, while in the tubularportion to be connected to said second pipe by rotation relativelythereto, a couplin -nipple threaded to the other end of said s eeve, andmeans formed separately from the tubular portion for holding the sleeveagainst axial displacement in-said tubular portion.

8. In a meter connecting device, the cornbination of a rigid barprovided at one end thereof with means for connection to a pipe, acoupling nipple attached to the means and adapted to communicate withthe pipe through said means, a sleeve extending transversely through andmounted rotatablyy in the other end of said bar and provided at the endsthereof with means for connection to a second pipe and another couplingnipple, and a nut mounted on one end of the sleeve and engaging the barfor retaining said sleeve against displacement in the bar.

9. A meter connecting device of the characterdescribed, comprislng arigid bar adapted to extend horizontally and having means at one endVthereof for connection to a gas pipe and to a coupling nipple and anintegral Substantially vertical bearing at its other end, a sleevefitted and confined in the bearing to rotate on a fixed substantiallyvertical axis and providedat its ends with longitudinally extendinginternal screw threads for connection to a second gas pipe and a secondcoupling nipple, and a nut mounted on one end of the sleeve and engagingthe bearing for retaining the sleeve against displacement in saidbearing.

10. In a meter connecting device, the wmbination of a rigid bar providedat one end thereof with means for connection to a pipe andhavinga-bearing extending through its other end, a coupling'nipple attached tothe means and adapted to communicate with the pipe through said means,and anopen-ended sleeve fitted in the bearing to rotate on a iixed axisand provided at its ends withlongitudinal screw threads for connectionto a second pipe and another coupling nipple, said sleeve also Abeingprovided at one of its ends with an outwardly extending polygonal flangeadapted to be turned in order to effect connection of the sleeve andsaid second pipe.

11. In a meter connecting device, the combination of a rigid barprovided at one end thereof with means for connection to a pipe,

a coupling nipple attached to the means and adapted to communicate withthe ipe through said means, and a. sleeve exten ing.

transversely through, and mounted to rotate on a fixed axis in the otherend of the bar and provided at its ends with longitudinal screw threadsfor connection to a second pipe and another coupling nipple, said sleevebeing also provided at one end thereof with a polygonal flange and atits other end with a nut whereby 1t is retained in place againstdisplacement relatively to the bar.

12. Means for spacing the service pipes of meters comprising a rigidone-piece bar -hav ying at one end thereof means for engaging a conduitelement and having at the other end a substantially cylindrical opening,a substantially cylindrlcal sleeve rotatably mounted in said opening,said sleeve having a stop shoulder engaging said bar, and provided atits ends With screw threads for direct connection to a service pipe andto a coupling nipple, and means to prevent axial movement of said sleevein said opening.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 27th day of June, 1928.

l GARNET W. MCKEE.

